Kenyan police are under pressure over the death of a blogger and teacher while in custody at a police station in Nairobi. After two days of silence and investigations, it has been confirmed that Alberto Ojwang, 31, from Homa Bay on Lake Victoria, did not commit suicide by banging his head against the wall of his cell, as the police initially claimed, but was killed and probably tortured before his death.
Kenyan police are under pressure over the death of a blogger and teacher while in custody at a police station in Nairobi. After two days of silence and investigations, it has been confirmed that Alberto Ojwang, 31, from Homa Bay on Lake Victoria, did not commit suicide by banging his head against a wall in his prison cell, as the police had initially claimed, but was killed and probably tortured before his death. The Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, publicly apologized to the nation and the family of the social media influencer after the National Police Service (NPS) had previously mistakenly stated that he had committed suicide. Kanja admitted in the Senate that the statement was “false and misleading.”

Ojwang was not a criminal; he had simply been accused of publishing a defamatory post on X, in which he accused the deputy police chief. For this, he was taken from his home and taken 400 kilometers away to the capital, where he was subjected to treatment that led to his tragic end.
So, after protests by human rights activists who took to the streets outside the morgue where the blogger's body was being held, displaying signs reading “you can't kill us all,” President William Ruto finally spoke out yesterday.
“This tragic event, caused by the police, is heartbreaking and unacceptable. I strongly condemn the actions and omissions, including any negligence or blatant criminality, that may have contributed to his untimely death,” Ruto told the press, warning all officers that they have a responsibility for the safety of citizens in their custody.
“The National Police Service is the trusted guardian of the safety of all persons and property in the nation and must always uphold this trust in order to ensure and maintain legitimacy and credibility in the eyes of the people,” the president said, “and must therefore rise to the challenge of tackling crime and lawlessness with firmness, while eliminating misconduct and unprofessional behavior within its ranks.”
Ruto then called on the national police to cooperate fully with the Independent Police Investigative Authority (IPOA) and to take all necessary measures to facilitate a swift, transparent, and credible investigation into Ojwang's murder. He said he was optimistic that the truth about Ojwang's death would come to light and that justice would be done.

In the evening, the IPOA released the names of five officers and agents from the police station where the blogger was killed who are under formal investigation.
All this is happening at a very tense time between young people, human rights activists, and those on social media seeking to provide free information. But it also comes on the eve of the approval of the new budget law and a likely demonstration, called for June 25, to commemorate the more than 65 victims of last year's protests, which culminated in the storming of the parliament in Nairobi.